Bulldogs place fourth in GPAC, fifth in regional dance championship

By Jacob Knabel on Feb. 26, 2021 in Dance

GPAC/Regional Qualifier Results

CRETE, Neb. – In the most significant competition of the 2021 season, the Concordia University Dance team produced two of its highest scores all season. As a result, the Bulldogs placed fourth in the GPAC and fifth in the region at the GPAC Dance Championships/NAIA Northwest Group Qualifier. Nine GPAC dance squads were joined by Viterbo University (Wis.) at the event hosted in Crete, Neb., by Doane on Friday (Feb. 26).

Head Coach Mandi Maser’s Bulldogs posted scores of 73.13 in the preliminary round and 75.30 in the second and final round of the competition. With an aggregate score of 74.76 (75 percent finals/25 percent prelims), Concordia finished comfortably in front of sixth-place Dordt (69.30).

“We are proud of how this team competed today,” Maser said. “Every week they improved, pushed themselves to be better technical dancers and came together to form unbreakable bonds. This is an amazing group of student-athletes.”

The Bulldogs were credited with similar scores across the categories of jazz technique, pom technique and hip hop technique. Concordia also scored high in its musicality, choreography and team turns/leaps.

The GPAC competition team for the Bulldogs included:

·        Katherine Anderson (Columbus, Neb.)

·        Haleigh Fitzsimmons (Lincoln, Neb.)

·        Kenna Holtzen (Stromsburg, Neb.)

·        Avery Lewis (Seward, Neb.)

·        Hannah Schmidt (Gretna, Neb.)

·        Lizbeth Vargas-Tapia (Omaha, Neb.)

·        Madeline Wittstruck (Milford, Neb.)

The 2020 GPAC Championships and regional qualifiers were separated on different dates. Concordia turned in a dance score of 61.00 at the 2020 conference championships while placing sixth out of 10 GPAC teams.

The cheer portion of the GPAC Championships will fire up at 10 a.m. CT on Saturday. The Haddix Center in Crete will also host the cheer competition. The fifth annual Cheer and Dance National Championship is slated to take place March 12-13 at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa.

Concordia Dance 2021 Results

1/13 at Mount Marty – W, 61.3 to 52.1

1/16 vs. Morningside – L, 71 to 68.15

1/23 at Friends Day of Duals – 2 of 7 (153.34 combined score in two performances)

1/28 vs. College of Saint Mary – W, 68.35 to 56.6

2/6 Concordia Invite – 2 of 8 (71.26)

2/10 vs. Hastings – W, 72.35 to 68.70

2/20 vs. Doane – W, 73 to 65.10

2/26 GPAC Championships/NAIA Northwest Qualifier – 4th (GPAC) / 5th (region)